RSF Investigates the Fate of Dubai Journalsit

PARIS - The Paris based media watch dog, Reporters Sans Frontiers (RSF), an international association which has been working to improve the safety of journalists world-wide, particularly in war zones, has assigned one of its directors handling the Middle East North Africa region to look into the problems haunting a journalist facing harassment in Dubai. The organisation's Middle East director contacted the Khaleej Times office to inquire about the entire episode. RSF is committed to assist in the rebuilding of media groups and to provide financial and material support to news staffs experiencing hardships. The association is believed to have seriously taken up the matter and follow up with the concerned people. As part of the initial steps, one of the RSF directors spoke to the Khaleej Times scribes about the story, which raked up the controversy. "I spoke to them for half an hour and the association is seriously taking up the matter," said one scribe. who was interviewed by the RSF officials from Paris. Khaleej Times was contacted for prominently carryng the story.

More than a third of the world’s people live in countries where there is no press freedom. Reporters Without Borders works constantly to restore their right to be informed. Reporters Without Borders believes imprisoning or killing a journalist is like eliminating a key witness and threatens everyone’s right to be informed. It has been fighting such practices for more than 18 years. "Reporters Without Borders, kept on constant alert via its network of over 100 correspondents, rigorously condemns any attack on press freedom world-wide by keeping the media and public opinion informed through press releases and public-awareness campaigns. The association defends journalists and other media contributors and professionals who have been imprisoned or persecuted for doing their work," says the organisation that intervenes whereever press freedom is curtailed.

It speaks out against the abusive treatment and torture that is still common practice in many countries. The organisation supports journalists who are being threatened in their own countries and provides financial and other types of support to their needy families. Reporters Without Borders is fighting to reduce the use of censorship and to oppose laws designed to restrict press freedom.
Finally, since January 2002, when it created the Damocles Network, Reporters Without Borders acquired a judicial arm. In order to ensure that murderers and torturers of journalists are brought to trial, the Network provides victims with legal services and represents them before the competent national and international courts, so that proper judicial procedures can be implemented.

The organisation’s initiatives are being carried out on five continents through its national branches (Germany, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Spain, France, Italy, Sweden and Switzerland) and its offices in Abidjan, Bangkok, New York, Tokyo and Washington. It also works in close co-operation with local and regional press freedom organisations and with members of the "Reporters without Borders’ Network," who represent Afghanistan, Argentina, Bangladesh, Myanmar ("Burma"), Cuba, Eritrea, Peru, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Russia, Tunisia and the Ukraine.

International community, media urged to take action in response to murders of Lebanese journalists

Reporters Without Borders gave a press conference today at the headquarters of the An-Nahar daily newspaper in Beirut to reiterate its condemnation of the murders of journalists Samir Kassir and Gebran Tuéni in bombings on 2 June and 12 December, and the maiming of fellow journalist May Chidiac in a bombing on 25 September.

The press organisation’s secretary-general, Robert Ménard, Tuéni’s daughters, Nayla et Michèle Tuéni, Kassir’s widow, Gisèle Khoury, and Khoury’s daughters, Mayssa and Liana, all spoke at the press conference, recounting their personal memories of the victims and issuing an appeal to the international community.

Nayla Tuéni, herself a young journalist, urged the Lebanese judicial authorities to speed up their investigations. She also called on the country’s press to launch a major campaign to try to end the wave of killings that has shaken Lebanon since October 2004. She said everyone knew her father was under threat and therefore the entire country was responsible for his death.

Khoury said : “Lebanon is the only Arab country that enjoys a degree of freedom and this is the reason why journalists are being killed. We call on all our colleagues throughout the world to react, so that the deaths of Gebran and Samir can strengthen our determination.”

Kassir’s daughter, Liana, appealed to Jean-Louis Bruguière, the French anti-terrorist judge in charge of the French investigation into the death of her father, who had French and Lebanese dual citizenship. “Judge Bruguière, we are waiting for you,” she said, looking firmly at the TV cameras.

Ménard voiced “disappointment” at UN security council resolution 1644 extending the mandate of the international commission that is investigating former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri’s assassination, as it authorises the commission just to provide technical assistance to the Lebanese government and leaves the government in charge of the investigations into all the political killings and bombings in Lebanon since October 2004.

“If the United Nations do not do anything more, this wave of violence will inevitably continue,” Ménard said. “We are going to appeal to all the international bodies such as the Human Rights Commission, the Council of Europe and the European Parliament.”

Ménard added : “The Lebanese media must also mobilise more to combat this violence, of which they are the first victims.”

This has been a black year for the Lebanese press. The first journalist to die, Kassir, was a correspondent for the French television station TV5 and an columnist for An-Nahar. Then LBC television presenter May Chidiac was maimed by a bomb in September. All this took place during the extended crisis resulting from Hariri’s assassination on 14 February. Finally, the death four days ago of Tuéni, the CEO of An-Nahar and a member of the Lebanese parliament, has confirmed the worst fears of Lebanon’s journalists.

Is Quoting Crime Magazine a Crime?

Some journalists in Dubai have severely criticised Keralamonitor.com for quoting from what they called yellow publications like the Crime Magazine. None other than K.P.K.Vengara, President of the Indian Media Forum has questioned the so called journalistic ethic of quoting the Crime Magazine, which happened to be one of the most popular pulp magazines in the most literate state of India. Some other journalists who did not want to be mentioned contended this argument of the Father of Radio in Dubai. "All the radio journalists in Dubai including Mr.K.P.K.Vengara have been liberally quoting from other newspapers. There are many radio stations in Dubai..but who is giving original news?," he asks. For many in the Indian Media Forum quoting from Crime is a crime. But has the person whose name repeatedly appeared in Crime Magazine taken any legal action against its editor, publisher or reporter? While a journalist is being crucified for quoting from the crime magazine, Crime Editor T.P.Nandakumar has revealed that not a single case has been filed against his magazine in Kerala by the particular person who was named many a time in his publication. "We have published a couple of investigative stories against the Kerala based gold merchant and about his hospital too..but not a single court case has been filed against us becuase we publish the stories with sufficient proof,' he says. Another journalist from a leading TV channel too has been vocal in criticising KM for quoting from the "substandard" Crime Magazine. A common question to all who accuse KM of following yellow journalism : "Did anyone file any criminal or defamation case against Crime Magazine for publishing their names?" The message is loud and clear..it is unfair to shoot the messenger..just like smashing the mirror for a distorted face.

... See the Long List of Journalists Detained for telling the unpleasant Truth- US among top 10 nations jailing scribes

Media Seminar Discusses Moustache Story!

A media seminar in the UAE capital that was attended by Sukumar Azhikkodu, N.Jayachandran Nair and other prominent personalities from the media and literary sectors heard M.C.A.Naser, Gulf Madhyamam Bureau Chief making some serious remarks about the silencing of the media by a Malayali managed business group. The topic of discussion received the scant attention of an intellectual audience in the Kerala Social Centre Hall. The media seminar was organised by the Kerala Social Centre. While many journalists are till tight lipped about the current issue, which is a direct attack on the freedom of expression, quite a few journalists like Mr.Naser still have the guts to take up cudgles on behalf of the weak and vulnerable. Despite political or ideological differences, diverse views and alternative mediums should be allowed to prevail and grow in a plurastic society, Nasser asserted in the seminar. Other journalists like Pradeep Pillai too attended the seminar.

Where is the Watchdog Spirit: London Scribe?

A journalists arrest is an attack on media freedom. But how many in the fold in the UAE carried the arrest story? Where is that watchdog spirit? It is a shame that some of us spiked the story fearing retaliation from the tycoon and the advt lobby. I am with you. The show must go on despite the heckles. Members of the National Union of Journalists (NUJ), the biggest media forum in Britain were quite amused to read about the arrest, hand-cuff and harassment for filing a simple human interesting story based on facts - Anasudhin Azeez, Journalist London.

Biased Coverage of Journalist Arrest

Every Malayalam Newspaper and two TV channels have reported about the arrest of V M Sathish, journalist in Dubai in connection with a case filed by Joy Alukkas of Alukkas group. Khaleej Times did a balanced report by quoting both the parties. The vernacular media was very liberal in announcing the journalists name from the top of their voice, while keeping a studied silence about the other party in the story'. .While liberally naming the scribe, all except Khaleej Times casually mentioned a Dubai based jeweler at the other side of the story. KT reporter who filed the story has already been receiving a suspicious look from the PRaising industry specialists camouflaged as scribes. Obviously journalists work in an industry, where money from advertising is a crucial factor. There is no comparison between a multimillionaire and a silly journalist No wonder some of the journalists whose names were quoted in KM for expressing favourable comments have developed sudden phobia and some even wanted to withdraw their comments altogether. Well, the comments were published by taking them on the face value. Some of the comments are removed for genuine reasons...While some real well wishers have extended their genuine moral support to a scribe in trouble.. Not even a single word appeared in the Kerala editions of the newspapers for unknown reasons. Thanks to Asianet...some people in the state got the news from a channel that gets major chunk of its ad revenue from the glittering metal business...Despite limitations..some journalists are really concerned about the entire issue, which is raked up with clear and motivated purpose.

It should Open a Discussion about Freedom of Press

It was a shocking news that you were in handcuff as like a criminal for a news report about a leading business house. I would like to express my moral support to you in a personal level,as a journalist. I would like to request Indian media forum to intervene in this situation with a firm stand. I hope this incident should open a discussion about the freedom of press and the necessity of a press-law.- Regards, Anil C.Idiculla Chief Reporter, Deepika International, Abudhabi Bureau.

Journalist arrested on complaint by Alukkas!!!

By Riyasbabu Khaleej Times Staff Reporter

13 December 2005 DUBAI ·A freelance journalist, who wrote about a major jewellery chain's owner allegedly asking his employees to turn up clean shaven (including moustache) at work, was arrested by the Dubai Police yesterday, and detained for two hours. V. M. Sateesh, the Dubai-based scribe, was subsequently released after he surrendered his passport as surety against bail before the Dubai Prosecution Court. Satheesh, in an article published in a local newspaper on August 22, said the Managing Director of Alukkas group had asked his employees to shave their facial hair. The case was filed by Joy Alukkas, Managing Director of Alukkas Jewellery Group after Satheesh wrote a news article in the local media alleging that Alukkas group had asked its employees to shave off their facial hair (moustache and beard). The article appeared on August 22. Read the Full Story

Journalist Arrested for Moustache story

A Dubai Media City based journalist has been summoned by the Dubai Public Prosecutor's office in connection with a report by him in 7-Days English tabloid alleging that a leading city jeweller had forced its employees to shave off their mustache, reported the Emirates Evening Post. "Our legal department is dealing with the case and we cannot say anything more as it is sub judice.," Philiph Fenton, News Editor, 7 Days told the EP, when asked what the daily is doing to secure the release of the scribe V.M.Sathish, the report added. The report added that the journalist was handcuffed (like a criminal) and asked to sit in a corner. His passport has been taken away. Satheesh has been writing for the Khaleej Times, 7 Days, Evening Post and other publications the report said. Leading Malayalam channel Asianet too reported about the arrest of the scribe in connection with a leading jewllery group from Kerala. here is the story that caused the dispute between the jeweller and 7 Days Click

Earlier Report in Weblokam about the Mustache Story -Al-Nahar editor-in-chief killed in car-bomb attack - Big Business Should Not Interfere with Editorial Freedom

Thank you Friends for the Moral Support

"We will be with you Sathish, dont worry, call me at any time in the day or night," reiterated Musthafa, a co accused in the so called conspiracy charges made by the Keralite businessman in the case against 7 Days and the journalist who filed the story. "This is the time when the Indian Media Forum should be doing something. Dont worry, I am with you at a personal and professional level," said Premchandran, Editor, Khaleej Times. Assuring full moral support to fight against all odds, he recalled several instances when he was summoned to police stations and other judicial institutions in the UAE. "We are following up the matter and an emergency executive meeting of the Indian Media Forum has been called," said Joy Mathew, General Secretary. It was the budding journalist Riyas Babu from Khaleej Times and sports journalist Cheriyan Thomas who were present with a helping hand. "It happened to you today, tomorrow I can happen to me or any other journalist in Dubai," says Daniel P.George, Chief Reporter Emirates Evening Post. . It was Mr.Bashir, a friend who rushed to the jail to bail out the journalist...Thank you friends for the moral support..."It is in such times that we sould stand together," said a senior editor......VMS

Meet the Press!!!! Cinthya Vision

In one of the recent press meets, a lady scribe said she was keen to meet Mr. K.S.R.Menon, the senior editor of Emirates Evening Post, who she believed was sitting nearby. She has been familiar with the senior journalist's name, but she did not see him ever . Pointing at Mohan Vadyara another journalist from Gulf Today, , she said: "Let me go and meet Mr.Menon" Everybody around was look biwildered as the real Menon was not visible in the entire room. Timely intervention of a journalist helped her to avoid an embarassing situation. Evern if the Indian scribes in Dubai can be counted and quite often they jump on each other in press conferences, seminars and exhibitions, they really dont know each other!. Starting with this confused lady, KM will itnroduce each journalist in Dubai.. So meet Ms.Cynthia Chandran,
Regional Editor, Indiavision Intl LLC, Building NO:5, G: 7,
Dubai Media City. Tel No - 04 3616208 Fax: 04 3686821 Email - cynthiachandran@gmail.com (Send in your photo and a brief profile to editor@keralamonitor.com or muscatdubai@yahoo.com)

Open door media policy comes with a catch

DUBAI, UAE -- As events unfurled around her, Basma al-Jandaly's predicament sounded more like an urban legend than a censorship battle. Ms. Jandaly, a reporter with Gulf News, an English-language newspaper based in Dubai, was on her way to Greece in June when she was stopped and informed that there was a warrant for her arrest.The warrant was prompted by an article she had written in February about a man who had been slashing women in the nearby emirate of Sharjah. The police said a victim had raised a complaint against Ms. Jandaly, but she soon realized it was the Sharjah police who were piqued, later contending that her article may have helped the attacker escape by alerting him to their investigation. Full Report -

Photo Journalist Shamnad Physically Assaulted

Shamnad Edava, a leading photojournalist of Dubai has been physically assaulted when he entered a construction site to film a group of agitated workers who attacked the company officials. Attack and assault on journalists is nothing new in the region, and Shamnad is the latest victim of media bashing in Dubai. However the Dubai Police came to his rescue and he rushed back to the newspaper office. As the the lensman who was one of the very few photographers who reached the turbulent spot in Aweer on time, the Evening Paper had a special picture on the front page.. Except Evening Post and Emirates Today, two new players in the newspaper market, others missed the crucial shot. Here is the picture from the construction site..shot by Shmnad against all odds. Earlier, a journalist of Malayala Manorama was physically assaulted in a Sharjah Labour Camp. Journalists K.M.Abbas and Faiz were assaulted during the Sharjah Association election.... M.N.Abubaker, correspondent, Malayalam News received anonymous threatening calls...journalists ..be careful..you are working in an alien land...View Photo

More than 1000 pictures, Jagathi is Cool!!!

The War On Al Jazeera

"Nothing puts the lie to the Bush Administration's absurd claim that it invaded Iraq to spread democracy throughout the Middle East more decisively than its ceaseless attacks on Al Jazeera, the institution that has done more than any other to break the stranglehold over information previously held by authoritarian forces, whether monarchs, military strongmen, occupiers or ayatollahs," says a report in the Nation. The United States bombed its offices in Afghanistan in 2001, shelled the Basra hotel where Al Jazeera journalists were the only guests in April 2003, killed Iraq correspondent Tareq Ayoub a few days later in Baghdad and imprisoned several Al Jazeera reporters (including at Guantánamo), some of whom say they were tortured. In addition to the military attacks, the U.S.-backed Iraqi government banned the network from reporting in Iraq, the first part of the report by Jeremy Scahill says Read the Full War on Qatar TV .

U.S. Military Propaganda Machine

Washington, December 1 (RHC)-- The articles, written by U.S. military "information operations" troops, are translated into Arabic and placed in Baghdad newspapers with the help of a defense contractor, according to U.S. military officials and documents obtained by the Los Angeles Times. Many of the articles are reportedly presented in the Iraqi press as unbiased news accounts written by independent journalists. The stories praise the work of U.S. and Iraqi troops, denounce insurgents and paint bright pictures of U.S.-led efforts to rebuild the country. T. Records and interviews indicate that the U.S. has paid Iraqi newspapers to run dozens of such articles, with headlines such as "Iraqis Insist on Living Despite Terrorism," since the effort began earlier this year. Full Report and More News

Blair-Bush Covert Talk to Bomb Al Jazeera!!!

The White House has dismissed reports that US president George W. Bush planned to bomb the headquarters of the satellite TV station Al Jazeera as "outlandish". The Arabic news channel has called on the British government to confirm or deny the report in British newspaper The Mirror this week that a memo featuring a transcript of talks between Bush and British prime minister Tony Blair in April last year showed that Blair talked the US leader out of the plan. Full Report

International community, media urged to take action in response to murders of Lebanese journalists

Blair-Bush Covert Talk to Bomb Al Jazeera!!!

The White House has dismissed reports that US president George W. Bush planned to bomb the headquarters of the satellite TV station Al Jazeera as "outlandish". The Arabic news channel has called on the British government to confirm or deny the report in British newspaper The Mirror this week that a memo featuring a transcript of talks between Bush and British prime minister Tony Blair in April last year showed that Blair talked the US leader out of the plan. Full Report